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The first race of the year, for the Juniors Championships and also the new U20s series, and this one is short and sharp.
Full details are now available on the Horwich site:
General Race Info
Course and venue maps (pdf)
Please note that the Juniors races (up to U16) start nearer the Pike than the combined Seniors/U20/U18 race.
Many thanks to Pete Ramsdale for providing the details.
Just to emphasise;
U8 - U16 registration at junior start behind school. 1st race 1:00pm.
U18/U20 registration at Crown Hotel, senior start at 3:00pm on Lever Park Avenue.
Looks good, hopefully we'll have a good turnout from Clayton as it's pretty local for us and it's in our club series as well.
How are conditions over there, lots of snow and ice about here in Rossendale. Not much of a thaw forcasted this week, anybody heard anything about the conditions on the Junior courses.
You beat me to it Graham!
Actually, I was more interested in the conditions underneath the snow. I've never seen the course before and wondered what kind of a surface it was. I get the impression that the bottom section of the course (and hence most of the route for the u8 and u10 runners) is actually farm track or even tarmac?
Does anyone know any better, I'd like to be able to advise our runners what to expect.
Juniors - they start on a flat dirt track and run approx 100m to turn left up the main climb.
The main climb starts on a concrete road - steep to start for 100m then perhaps 200m on an easier gradient (roughly U8s)
The concrete road turns in to a pebbly/grassy dirt farm track and continues for a few hundred metres (roughly U10s) at the easier gradient before leaving the track and up a steep grassy embankment to the fell wall/gate (U12s)
Then there is a stony dirt track climb to the Pike, around the Pike and descend on the moorland grass - it doesn't show this on the map, but as you climb this section, the line of descent is around 25 metres to the left.
So descend back to fell wall/gate - make sure you join the dirt track before the fell wall otherwise you'll end up boxed in by a fence and lose some time - so keep edging left as you descend the top section back towards the dirt track.
For the U18s, the Senior race starts in the town and runs around 1km before meeting up with the junior route and of course at the finish it is 1km more down in to town.
For the fell running purist, it may seem that there is too much firm ground, but it is a special race. I would recommend all juniors stay and watch the senior race and make their way up the course to watch - it's fantastic to see the top runners coming down the top section.
There is a Google map on felljunior, which can be viewed in hybrid mode. This will give a rough idea of the mixed terrain; mud, compacted soil track, concrete, tarmac, stone track, grass.
The courses are likely to be to the NE of the junior start on Roynton Road. Note, there is no vehicle access to Roynton Road; please do not attempt to park there. To save time on Saturday a registration form can be downloaded here (not pre-entry) for completion before registering on Roynton Road.
All good info from above posts but doesnt answer the question of what conditions are like at the moment or may be like on Sat. I suspect if its anything like it is here (Calderdale) then we wont need to worry whether kids/seniors are running on concrete, stoney paths, tarmac or grass. Will t even be on. Any info greatly appreciated.
Hopefully someone from Horwich will come along and confirm this (since I'm not quite over there) but in the meantime: we've had virtually no snow over here (Bolton) this week. I've not been up to Winter Hill or Rivington this week but looking across there appears to be patchy snow lying but nothing serious and I suspect there is nothing or very little on the race route, apart from perhaps some around the Pike itself for the U18s, but even that will not be a problem to anyone. The temperature has been mostly below zero all week and the wind is biting so be prepared for that if you're likely to be standing about. There really is no weather/snow problem over here - unless it falls between now and Sat.
Thats the kind of info we are looking for. Cheers and consider yourselves very luckyQuote:
Originally Posted by Latege
Very local weather forecast.
Note the chill factor.
.....not to be from the wrong side of the PenninesQuote:
Originally Posted by Clash City Rocker
:thumbup:
Bum bum tisch!! Obvious yet strangely mildly amusing, mostly because of a good opportunity well taken. I commend you sir. Your wrong of course but dont let that stop you trying to convince yourself otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Grammar!Quote:
Originally Posted by Clash City Rocker
See me boy!
From Races section:
From the RO:Quote:
Originally Posted by blackrod lad
Unlikely to be required to carry extra kit, due to the short and highly accessible / well marshalled nature of the course. But bring lots of warm clothes for after and if you're spectating!
I would add that it's always wise to bring the kit just in case, and especially if the icy breeze from Yorkshire is too much for you. ;)
Splendid races for the Juniors. Thanks to Pete and everyone at Horwich for today's races from everyone at Rossendale Harriers.
Likewise from Ambleside JuniorsQuote:
Originally Posted by Lefty
and Blackburn :)
I think kicking off the FRA Champs at Pendle or Rivington is perfect.
Why's that Richard?Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Wouldn't be because they're so close to Blackburn would it? ;)
Full marks to the organisers, well organised and marshalled. i was a bit doubtful about the course when I saw the start but it works really well and challenges the runners over a real mix of surfaces.
Well done Horwich!
n.b It was nice to catch up with some of my fellow FMR coach 'class of 2011'. Good to see the growth in juniors attending these races, regardless of how well they perform.
Well that helps ;) - but seriously, they are perfect in terms of timing. If we used whichever race was first then we always get race 1 out of the way by 1st Saturday of April. They also have a senior race attached which I think makes for a better atmosphere and gives the U18s a chance to run in with the seniors - and of course the new U20 Cat as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyA
You can add the appreciation of Calder Valley as well. Good stuff well organised.
After watching my daughter run in the English champs as an U8 then U10 and now first year as an U12 have finally plucked up enough courage to post something on this new fangled contraption called "tinterweb". So here goes......................
Well done all at Horwich from all at Ilkley.
Great day for racing, and an excellent course.. a toughie by any measure, long, steep and no place to catch the breath.. as first timers at rivington we have to applaud the excellent Horwich website which clearly laid out the route/s start times etc. something any club would do well to copy:thumbup:.
as first timers though .. we and several dozen other folk were lost trying to find the actual start to sign on at 11am.. sure the start is behind the school.. but it isnt in the school grounds a few folk ended up wandering round the school grounds until the school gates were locked:o.. a couple of basic signs would have helped us newbies..
it'd be nice to give all the kids sommat for the graft they put in and it d be nice for at least the 1st three to at least get a mention.. ( ilkleys recent award presentation was excellent and involved everybody..)
ps .. is there a link for the junior results, we ve seen the adult results elsewhere..
This is the English Championships the best that junior talent has to throw at the sport, I dont think its the arena to be giving everybody who takes part something, and I believe in rewarding effort not just success but there is plenty of opportunity to do that elsewhere in the calender. This series is about points scored and medals won although I do think top 3 should get something but thats up to individual RO's and I respect their call as there is no official policy as far as I am aware.Quote:
Originally Posted by withaY
As described in the race details on the Horwich RMI website, there were awards for the top 3 in each category, and a prize giving for U12 and U14 was held in the registration area during the races.
Those awards (U8 - U16) that were not collected will be posted.
There was a little confusion about when / where juniors prizes would be awarded, that's why quite a few missed it, and were waiting in the pub after! Small slip-ups, but I'm sure we can all agree it was a fantastic event for all ages, and a big thank you to Pete and the rest of Horwich for putting it on.Quote:
Originally Posted by FellJunior
It was indeed a great set of races and certainly tough as I discovered by running the senior race. Would have been good to have one or two signs leading to the event (although we did arrive early and some appeared a little later). Also some loo's and a post race food especially as it was an English Champs. probably the first fell race I have been too where there seemed to be no cakes or tea, or water at the end!?
Just to add my and the smallish pennine runners thank you to all involved yesterday
No excuse for anyone getting lost finding the start or registration. There were signs at the bottom of the lane clearly directing people up the lane. A quick look on the Horwich website ( there was a link right here on this forum ! ) also clearly states where registration is and a look at the map also shows where registration and the start is so I'm sorry your mistake not the organisers, and as for wanting tea and cakes !
thanks for your reply.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty
the website for the club/race and the information was full of information and included a great deal. all the races that form part of the English championship should aspire to this standard..
the postcode was for the school..the instructions actually state variously that the start/ registration is at the school/ behind the school. the pennine junior challange flyer actually states the school as the start and registration.
The arrow on the map clearly shows the start registration as within the school grounds... if the school gates had not been locked at noon i suspect that a great many more would have tried to this route to get to the start.
at 11am when registration was stated as opening there were no signs anywhere.. when we had registered at 11.20 and walked back to the junction of the start straight and the hill..first signs saying 'caution runners' were being placed at the end of the start straight..
we had a great day out. the sun shone the sky was blue. we ran up and down a hill. all for two quid...
http://www.horwichrmiharriers.co.uk/...aceDetails.pdf
This is the official info and is clear. It seems to identify everything as it should.
If the RO was a little swamped on the morning and so unable to have registration open bang on 11:00 it's not a crisis when the races aren't due to start until 1:00pm
I host track, road, Xc and fell races and 2 hours before race time, I might not have the signage and course markings in place. That's the life of an RO.
........and what is wrong with that?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty
We'll try and make sure there's water at future Champs races. What did you expect, Hot Cross Buns! ;)
Everything. Some people are just happy to have good races, well organised, it's Fell racing for gods sake not the Book club !Quote:
Originally Posted by Corniceman
To put the mild concerns into context:
Yesterday members of Horwich RMI Harriers successfully organised 6 fell races for approximately 500 runners from 2 locations, including manning two road closure points on a busy holiday weekend. Very few clubs can manage that.
Some senior & junior photos up See http://www.woodentops.org.uk/ more senior race photos to follow.
Is this not an absolute farce as an under 18s race to do the senior category....2 miles on a road and then a mile on the fell. Great test, no disrespect to Horwich great club and a great race, one of my all time favourites, but to let under 18s count that as a fell race championship counter.....come on.
Talk to some of the top seniors Tom. Rob Hope, Tom Cornthwaite and the course record holders are amongst the best ever. It's a climbing and descending test, a fantastic race and a great race for U18s to come and mix it with the seniors.Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboTom
It could be argued that the U16s should have been in with the seniors.
There are other tests and the FRA series as usual has a variety - we don't want 6 bog snorkelling races do we?
Thanks WP, that's well explained. Tom, the series will never consist of 6 races like Rivington, but it may well include one. As you will see, I thought it worthy of going in the U20s Championships as well, and I have no problem with the first race of the year being a little shorter than the others.
A document on race selection policy is being finalised and should be available within a week or two, so I am certainly not entering into debate now.